Valdaya

Valdaya is the winery taking Spain’s Ribera del Duero by storm. Their wines have earned recognition from critics including Tim Atkin MW, Robert Parker and James Suckling. The secret is their focus on quality over quantity. Micro-fermentations of nine individual parcels of old-vine Tempranillo result in tiny quantities of world-class wines. The winery is family-owned by husband and wife Joaquín González and Elena López, but it is Marta Ramas and Miguel Fisac who lead the winemaking. Their studies took them from the University of Bordeaux, to winemaking stints in Bordeaux’s St-Emilion, California’s Napa valley and South Africa’s Cape Town, before they returned to their native Spain. Valdaya’s vineyards are located over 850 metres above sea level, farmed organically and grapes are manually harvested. Each barrel is vinified separately before the final blend is decided. Their flagship wine, Mirum, is made using free-run juice before being aged for 18 months in oak barrels.